Management of Asphyxia in Neonate at Birth: Retrospective Descriptive Cohort Study

Abstract

Despite guidelines on essential and obstetric emergency care
devised by the
Ministry of Health and Social Services to address
obstetric and neonatal related challenges in Namibia, the report
on perinatal and neonatal death review of April 2014
-
March
2016, indicated that birth asphyxia is in first position
contributing 49.4 % to
neonatal deaths. This reflects the severity
of asphyxia as a public health concern in Namibia (MoHSS, 2014).
The aim of the study was to assess the management of newborn
babies with neonatal asphyxia at birth. A retrospective cohort
study design in which d
escriptive data collected was analyzed by
using Epi info version 7. The results of the study showed that
there was a delay with early recognition and timely decision
-
making on the safest method of delivery, especially in cases of
breech presentations, ceph
alopelvic disproportion (CPD) and
prolonged first stage of labor. Referral of patients from district
and regional hospitals to a national referral hospital takes too
long. The results of the study further showed that many
deliveries were conducted by regis
tered midwives in the absence
of a pediatrician or a medical doctor. Improvement of knowledge
and skills in maternal and neonatal care is needed by health care
providers in order to provide quality antenatal care for pregnant
women, conduction of safe deli
veries and provision of efficient
care for the newborn babies who are at risk of asphyxia.
Regulations of the referral system on maternal care should
strictly be put in place regarding the hours mothers have to stay